Committed to opening up NYC’s waterfront to the public, the Hudson River Park Trust transforms the West side’s old shipping docks — once used to bring in cargo into the city — into elongated recreational spaces, connected by a green promenade. With several piers already completed, the park board recently chose Inhabitat-fav LOT-EK‘s design for Pier 57, located outside Chelsea. The architecture firm proposed a waterfront attraction to be constructed of refurbished shipping containers, and decked out with a rooftop for watching films, flexible green space, open-air public market, and underwater educational and exhibition space.

We know and love LOT-EK for their uber-cool shipping container retail store design for Puma, recently seen in Boston. However, the Hudson River Park Trust and community were slightly more weary about if the shipping containers would comply with building codes, not to mention if the shipping containers would make the interior dingy and uninviting. Fortunately, we heard from The Architect’s Newspaper that the success and popularity of Puma City in Boston changed their minds and swayed their decision.

The proposed structure will include 170,000 square feet for work spaces, ideally rented out to local artisans, and a public market for selling their wares. LOT-EK (and developer YoungWoo & Associates) brought in Urban Space Management to help manage their proposed lively and eclectic mix of renters. Below the water levels, the architects propose an additional 90,000-square-foot “Underwater Discovery Center” which includes exhibition and education spaces.

The development looks HUGE, however, the proposal is a rather thoughtful mix of recreational and cultural spaces. All arranged in re-purposed shipping containers, this highly-public project is perhaps proof that environmentally and socially conscious design can be mainstream. Although we know it will be years before this pier-park will be complete, we feel quite smug over the design’s approval by the Hudson River Park Trust.

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[…] stalling, there are currently many empty lots or slivers of land sitting stagnant in the city. Shipping container malls could revitalize those unused spaces. Not only are they easier and in many cases cheaper to […]

[…] shop at South Street Seaport in lower Manhattan with a shipping container installation designed by LOT-EK. Our friends at PSFK and SampleSaleShop.com both had a chance to get sneak peeks before it […]

tomodearSeptember 6, 2009 at 1:06 pm

I would like to leave a word of caution, as these shipping containers that have been used in Boston and that will probably be also used in NYC might not actually be “used” shipping containers. Though I have heard rumors that these reused shipping container structures are actually built from new and manufactured containers, I do not have the proof. Despite all of that, using a used container begs to ask about the state of it’s structural integrity. Additionaly, I have heard lectures, videos, and interviews of LOT-EK outright saying that they are not a “green” or “sustainable” firm, nor do they strive to be.

But, alas, I do enjoy their work, and I think that it does encourage people to explore these areas of design. My gripe is just with the praise given for something not necessarily “green”… could this be greenwashing?

I’m not so sure that shipping container design has reached the mainstream (in fact, I am sure it hasn’t), but the massive scale of this project (I’m guessing the largest of its ilk so far?) should definitely propel it in that direction – IF it is executed well. I must say, too, that the simple strategy of having a long roof garden was a clever way to get both interior commercial space (for all seasons) and outdoor public space; other proposals sacrificed one for the other quite commonly.